1977 CJ7 hardtop door handle lock removal

[vmw]

How do you remove the door lock cylinder on a 1977 CJ7 hardtop door w/wo the key. I am baffled.

 

[Peanut Butter]

You unbolt the entire inside assembly and the outside handle will just pull out. That outside handle is like many garage handles or like the rear hardtop handle. The outside piece is the handle and a straight shaft into the inside assembly.

Here is my door without the assembly:

 

[hagar]

The spring loaded retainer is not visible. The retainer must be depressed before the lock cylinder will come out of the handle.
You must drill a small 1/8" diameter hole in the handle to locate and depress that retainer.
Depending on the rotation/orientation of the cylinder prior to removal time, you could also be 180* out when you drill the hole.
I don't recall the exact measurements for the drilling of the hole.
If you had an old broken handle you could experiment on it.
It's a least 1" back from the face of the cylinder if I recall.

 

[Posi]

^^^ Spoken like a true locksmith.